How Ummbila Emoyeni Is Transforming Lives in Mpumalanga
By Frans Sello waga Machate I Bethal, South Africa
BETHAL, Mpumalanga — As the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility commenced commercial operations on 31 July 2026, government leaders underscored how the project exemplifies the practical realization of South Africa’s energy reform agenda and its tangible impact on citizens’ daily lives.
Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, speaking at the launch ceremony, framed the project within the broader context of President Ramaphosa’s reform agenda, which he described as “the most lasting legacy of the second term of President Ramaphosa”. The Minister drew on the words of struggle luminary Oliver Tambo, stating:
“The future is bright, the end is glorious, the intervening period is dark and bitter, and finds its glory in acts of struggle”.
Dr. Ramokgopa
Minister Ramokgopa identified four critical lessons emerging from the Ummbila Emoyeni experience. First, he noted that it is a “scientific myth to suggest that in other parts of the country there are no renewable energy resources such as wind and solar”. The project’s control room recorded wind speeds peaking at approximately 6 metres per second, demonstrating that Mpumalanga possesses viable wind resources for commercial renewable energy generation. The Minister emphasized that evidence must inform policy choices, marking a departure from historical antagonism between science and policymaking.
Second, the Minister observed that the project represents a new model of “energy parks” where multiple energy sources coexist. Within a 30-kilometre radius of the site, there are coal-fired power stations including Thutuka, Matla and Kriel, alongside the new wind turbines, a solar PV plant and planned battery storage facilities. “It’s why the binary conversation is about additionality and how you are able to balance the mix,” he said.
Third, Minister Ramokgopa highlighted the development of industrial capability, the ability to build advanced manufacturing and engineering capacity and develop a pipeline of skills. He noted that skills on the project included those not directly related to energy generation, such as young farmers contributing to the local economy.
Fourth, and most powerfully, the Minister identified the nexus between the reform agenda, energy security and investment. “The President said three trillion Rands of investments into the country. Today is able to show you that here’s part of the three trillion Rands actual projects, jobs created and livelihoods changed”.
President Ramaphosa, in his keynote address, emphasized that energy security underpins economic growth, investment, industrial development and job creation. He announced significant progress in the restructuring of Eskom, revealing that the Eskom Restructuring Task Team had completed the first phase of its work, a high-level proposal for establishing an independent Transmission System Operator (TSO).
“The restructuring of Eskom to establish an independent transmission and system and market operator is a key enabler of the electricity reform agenda because it removes the inherent conflict of interest found in vertically integrated utilities,” President Ramaphosa said. The report, presented to the President on 30 July 2026, concluded that the restructuring is feasible and aligned with international best practice.
The President explained that the reform would establish a competitive electricity market in which multiple generators, both public and private, compete to provide electricity most efficiently and at the lowest cost. “This will ultimately ensure that electricity is delivered at affordable prices to power growth, create jobs and enable access for all households”.
For the citizens of Mpumalanga, the project’s impact is already visible. Premier Mandla Ndlovu, who had visited the site on two previous occasions, spoke of seeing “hope in the eyes of the people of this community, hope for jobs, hope for development, and hope for a better future”. “Our people are saying we are selling hope for a better tomorrow; they are demanding to live a better life now. This project aims to meet that demand”.
The Premier emphasized that sustainable economic growth requires strong partnerships between government, business, labour and communities. “It requires the private sector to invest, innovate and expand,” he said. He also highlighted the importance of the Mpumalanga Province Human Resources Development Council, where major industries and businesses participate to ensure skills planning is informed by the real needs of the economy.
President Ramaphosa stressed that affordable, reliable and increasingly clean electricity is “the lifeblood of a growing economy”. “Mines, factories and farms need it to expand production. Businesses need affordable and reliable electricity to become more competitive. For households, affordable electricity is a matter of dignity. It is an opportunity to improve the quality of life and reduce the cost of living”.
